Chicago fuzz-pop outfit
Beach Bunny
follow up their highly rated 2020 debut with
Blame Game
, a brief but effective four-song EP. After a handful of early solo releases, frontwoman
Lili Trifilio
relaunched
as an indie rock quartet, giving her anxious exaltations a more durable and raucous edge. There was plenty to like about their last outing,
Honeymoon
, and fans of that release will likely find this side dish to be just as satisfying, albeit more condensed. Led by the inescapably tuneful "Good Girls (Don't Get Used),"
is woven with the connective tissues of sexism, incel -- involuntary celibate -- culture, turbulent relationships, and toxic masculinity, themes all too familiar to young women trying to connect in modern society. Even in the face of such challenges,
Trifilio
brings an optimistic tone to her songwriting, wrought as it is with an innate sense of weariness. This was one of the strengths of
's debut, and that bittersweetness comes through here as well on the bouncy "Nice Guys" and the dreamy title track. Her vocals seem to land at the breaking point of punk power and wistful yearning, lending the songs an allure that dovetails neatly with the crunchy, pop-driven arrangements. As a stand-alone release or an aperitif to their next full-length,
is another solid entry in the
canon. ~ Timothy Monger